Linear pressure device

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE CONSISTING OF A SPRING PRESSED ROD IN CONNECTION WITH A GAUGE TO APPLY A DESIRED LINEAR PRESSURE BY MEANS OF SAID ROD AGAINST A GIVEN AREA AND SAID ROD INCLUDES AN INTERMEDIATE LINKAGE PORTION WHICH WILL YIELD AND FLEX IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE AXIS OF SAID ROD TO VISUALLY INDICATE THAT PRESSRE OTHER THAN LINEAR PRESSURE ALONG THE AXIS OF SAID ROD IS BEING APPLIED.

March 2, 1971 l. N. ToFTNEss LINEAR PRESSURE DEVICE 'Filed Aug. 21, 1969 mw MNHN W N6 //q/ ,7/

NVN'UK zw/v6 N. form/ess 14 from/5 y "Illm NlnmNrUNl United States Patent O 3,566,679 LINEAR PRESSURE DEVICE Irwing N. Toftness, 1425 2nd Ave., Cumberland, Wis. 54829 Filed Aug. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 851,953 Int. Cl. G01l 5/00; G01n 3/ 40; A61b 9/ 00 U.S. Cl. 73-78 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device consisting of a spring pressed rod in connection with a gauge to apply a desired linear pressure by means of said rod against a given area and said rod includes an intermediate linkage portion which will yield and flex in a direction transversely of the axis of said rod to visually indicate that pressure other than linear pressure along the axis of said rod is being applied.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The device herein is used to apply a desired degree of linear pressure to a given area and a gauge is included as a portion of the device to provide a reading of the pressure applied. 'Ihe device is hand held and includes a rod by means of which the linear pressure is applied. To have a true gauge reading of the pressure applied ot a given area, it must be applied axially of said rod. Inadvertently pressure may be applied in a direction transversely of the axis of the rod absent some clear visual indication of such application of pressure. The pressure applying rod is rigid with respect to the application of linear pressure therealong and it is adapted to yield and flex readily when other than linear pressure is applied.

It is an object of this invention to provide a manually operable device for the application of a measurable linear pressure and including means to clearly indicate when other than linear pressure is being applied.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device including means for the application of linear pressure which is rigid in the application of such pressure but which yields transversely or bends when other than linear pressure is applied.

It is more specifically an object of this invention to provide a device for the manual application of measurable linear pressure consisting of means rigid for the application of such pressure, with said means including a linkage portion intermediate thereof which yields by liexing, when other than linear pressure is applied.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refere to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device comprising the invention herein;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal section;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view in elevation of the device on a reduced scale showing a portion thereof in liexed position.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings, the device comprising the invention herein is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. Specific detail of the device may take on various configurations and for the most part the device is preferably and readily formed of a suitable plastic material. Said device is shown comprising an open-faced cylindrical housing 12 having a bottom plate 13, an annular Patented Mar. 2, 1971 ICC side wall 14 and an annular groove 15 in the inner edge of the upper end of said side wall. As will be described, said housing comprises a pressure gauge.

Extending through the side wall of said housing and thereacross on the order of a chord is a tubular member or portion 16 of said housing formed integrally therewith and having a portion 17 extending rearwardly of said housing and a portion 18 of greater length extending forwardly of said housing. In the upper wall of said tubular member 16 within said housing is a slot 19.

A pressure applying member 23 is shown formed as a cylindrical rod having an inner end portion disposed within said tubular member 16 through the portion 18 thereof for linear or axial movement with respect thereto. The term linear movement as used herein is defined as a straight line movement of said rod axially thereof and may be more specifically regarded as a thrust movement of said rod.

Said rod has an outer end portion 24 and an inner end portion 25 of greater length. Connecting said portions is a short length of axially rigid but transversely yielding member 27 formed here as a tightly coiled spring which will liex readily under a non-linear pressure with respect to said rod 23. The adjacent ends of said rod portions 24 and 25 are pressure fitted and secured into the respective engaging ends of said member 27.

Carried at the inner end of said rod portion 25 is an elongated spring-like U-shaped sleeve-like member 27 secured through its web 28 to the end of said rod portion 25 by a screw 32. Said member 27 has one extended portion 29 of its sleeve relatively flat with a small transverse curvature and the opposing extended portion 30 has at its free end a bifurcated portion 31 stepped upwardly at a right angle.

Said member 27 is disposed in operating position within said tubular member 16 and said portion 31 extends upwardly of said slot 19 and serves as a stop member engaging an end wall of said slot to prevent the withdrawal of said rod 23. Extending over said slot 19 and being secured in the walls of said housing is a rod 35 of small diameter which engages the bifurcated portion 31 to act as a guide member therefor.

A sleeve 38 is adapted to receive said tubular portion 18 therein and extend forward thereof having an aperture 40 in its end wall 39 through which the rod 23 extends. Said end wall of said sleeve serves to provide support for said rod 23.

Disposed within said tubular portion 16 and partially within said sleeve member 27 is a compression coiled spring 42 having one end thereof of seated against said web 28 and its other end seated against the inner end of a conventional linear spring tension adjusting screw 44 which is threaded through and carried by a cap nut 46 which iS threaded into the outer end portion of said tubular portion 17. Said spring will be of such a length as to normally urge said rod 23 outwardly in the direction of the forward end portion of said tubular member 16.

Extending across the inner side of said 4base 13 centrally of said slot `19 is a Y-like rib structure 50 serving principally as an elevated internal support. Spaced centrally oppositely of said slot 19 is an upstanding stud not shown onto which is pivoted by a pin 54 a quadrant rack gear 56 which is pivotally urged in one direction as shown by a conventional torsion spring 58. Said gear has an extended arm portion 57 which engages the angled sleeve portion 31 whereby said gear is pivoted as said spring 42 is compressed by movement of rod 23.

The apex or leg of said rib structure overlies the center of said base plate 13 and disposed in a suitable bearing hole in said rib and not here shown is a pin 62 serving as a rotor to carry thereon a pinion 64 which engages said rack gear 56. Also carried on said pin is a dial or face member 66 having appropriate indicia thereon to indicate the ldegree of pressure applied to said rod 23 by means of an indicating hand 68 also carried by said pin rigid therewith. Said dial rests within said groove and overlying said dial is a transparent dial cover or bezel 70.

OPERATION The device herein is very conveniently used for the application of a desired degree of pressure to a relatively small area. The pressure to a given area is applied with the free end of said rod 23. The dial 66 gives a visual reading of the pressure applied resulting from the thrust action of the rod 23 in compressing the spring 42 and said angled portion 31 pivoting said quadrant rack S6 which in turn rotates said pinion 64 to move said hand 68 to indicate a pressure applied reading. The spring will be calibrated to the dial and the tension of said spring is adjusted by the screw 44.

The device is conveniently held with the hand of the operator embracing the housing portion 12. The purpose herein is to apply a linear pressure, which is to say, pressure along the axis of the rod 23. It has been found that inadvertently and unintentionally a downward pressure is mistakenly applied without the operator being aware of this. The downward pressure is thus applied in conjunction with axially or linearally directed pressure and as a result a true reading of the pressure applied is not given. Unless some axial or linear pressure is applied, the dial will give no pressure reading, but with linear and nonlinear pressure applied simultaneously, the operator does not get a true linear pressure reading and the operator may be unaware that he is applying a non-linear pressure.

With reference to FIG. 4, the linkage member 27 is rigid and inexible when linear pressure is applied, but this member yields readily and ilexes or bends upon the application of non-linear pressure or pressure applied in a direction transversely of the axis of said rod 23. The ilexing of the member 27 is readily seen and thus the operator has a clear and positive visual indication Whenever he is Thus the member 27 represents the essential element of the invention herein and its operative equivalent may be variously formed.

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure applying device for the application of linear pressure, having in combination a housing comprising a pressure gauge,

a pressure applying member carried lby said housing having an operative connection with said gauge whereby linear pressure applied by said member actuates said gauge causing a reading of pressure thereon,

said pressure applying member comprising a rst rod portion extending directly from said housing and a second terminal rod portion spaced therefrom and axially aligned therewith and being remote from said housing,

a rod connecting member having axial rigidity and transverse flexibility connecting said rod portions in spaced relation whereby non-linear pressure applied by said pressure applying member causes said rod connecting member to ilex tranversely and thus no pressure reading is recorded on said gauge.

2. The struct-ure set forth in claim 1, 'wherein said rod connecting member comprises a coiled spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,967 6/1954 Newman 73-141 X 2,849,879 9/1958 Schiller 73-141 3,274,827 9/ 1966 Sturtevant 73--139 3,301,131 1/1967 Benford 73-'80X 3,487,679 l/ 1970 Yamamori 73-80 RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner C. E. SNEE III, Assistant Examiner 

